TotalEnergies sells Mexican oil block to Grupo Carso
TotalEnergies is divesting its stake in a Gulf of Mexico oil block to a Grupo Carso subsidiary, marking the French major's latest portfolio trim and the Mexican conglomerate's expanding upstream bet.
TotalEnergies has agreed to sell its 30% stake in a shallow-water Mexican oil block to a company backed by Grupo Carso, reshaping the ownership of the Kan field. A Mexican subsidiary of TotalEnergies signed a binding agreement with Mx Dlta Nrg 1 to divest its interest in Block 30, located in the Salina del Istmo Basin.
Mx Dlta Nrg 1 is a subsidiary of Zamajal, which is owned 80% by Grupo Carso and 20% by Control Empresarial de Capitales. Following the transaction, Harbour Energy will remain the block's operator with a 70% interest, while Mx Dlta Nrg 1 will hold the remaining 30%.
The asset sits approximately 29 kilometers off the coast of Tabasco in the Gulf of Mexico. It contains the Kan discovery and operates under a production sharing contract covering 30.5 square kilometers. The shallow-water site features water depths of 40 to 50 meters and well depths reaching 3,750 meters.
A consortium originally won the 25-year exploration contract in April 2018 during an international public bidding round overseen by the National Hydrocarbons Commission. The original partners were Premier Oil, Deutsche Erdoel Mexico—since absorbed into Harbour Energy—and Sep Block 30, which later became TotalEnergies.
The deal underscores a strategic divergence among the players. For TotalEnergies, the exit fits a broader pattern of European majors offloading mature or non-core international upstream assets to optimize capital allocation. For Grupo Carso, the acquisition accelerates a rapid expansion into Mexico's energy sector.
This transaction directly follows Zamajal’s 2024 purchase of an interest in Talos Mexico, a move that secured Carso an additional stake in the strategic Zama field. By taking over TotalEnergies' position in Block 30, Carso is steadily building a significant offshore footprint alongside established international operators. The transfer remains subject to regulatory approvals before it can close.
